Thunder Krakens
The Thunder Krakens are a very peculiar chapter of Space Marines. Part of the 6th founding by the Gene-Seed of Jaghatai Khan, they have been active in all corners of the galaxy, fighting all kinds of enemies. This wide spread activity is only made possible by their unique codex structure: Each Astartes is their own commander. History Founded during the 33rd Millenia, the Thunder Krakens immediately settled on the world of Vangelia and started drafting the feudal populace into their ranks. However, as they would find out in a matter of generations, the culture on the planet was one that could only be described as adventurous. As more and more of the warrior breed entered the ranks of the Astartes, the formerly organized structure fell down. After a century, a whole new system of running the chapter had been established, one in which a group of, or just one, individuals would set out on an adventure into the galaxy, finding new foes to fight or defending the citizens of the Imperium. Notable Campaigns * First War of Purnia: 'Though not actually the first war taking place on Purnia, having been lost and reclaimed several times, the first War of Purnia was the first time a Thunder Kraken, Battle Brother Castius, was present on the world to aid the defenders against an assaulting Ork Waaagh!. The oldest veteran of the chapter, having reached the venerable age of 800 years of service by the time of the First War, Castius managed to rally and direct the defenders and ensured victory was assured. Castius, having arrived in advance of the Ork Waagh! through a command from a golden figure in a meditative dream, had come like a miracle and saved the Shrine World from the Xeno invaders. Due to this, he was labeled as an unofficial local saint. * '''Battle of Sorn: '''The Sorn campaign was a series of raids undertaken by Dark Eldar raiders on the Imperial Subsector Vignit, with it all culminating in the battle of Sorn. Veteran Battle Brother Morvus Raut was present and took up supreme command of the PDF forces, ensuring the overstrength but undertrained forces achieved victory. At the height of the battle, Raut confronted the Archon onboard his skimmer, challenging the arrogant leader of the kabal to single combat. After a long, drawn out struggle, Raut stood victorious, though his arm had been lost to him. The lifeless body of the Archon had taken it with him into the depths of the Hive World, still locked around the throat of the xenos. It is to be assumed that Raut did not survive the battle with the Archon bodyguards, for he never returned to the chapter, though some say he still journeys across the stars to this day. Nontheless, with the Archon dead, the Dark Eldar withdrew as swiftly and mysteriously as they had appeared. *'2nd War for Armageddon: 'Brother Skaan is known to have fought and died during the 2nd War for Armageddon. It is known that he was also the only Thunder Kraken on the planet at the time of the campaign. He was lost early on in the battle. *'3rd War for Armageddon: 'At least fifteen Thunder Krakens were known to have fought during the 3rd War for Armageddon, amongst them future Chapter Master Mulcebar the World Ender. *'13th Black Crusade: 'Several Thunder Krakens are known to have been present on the frontline worlds of the various conflicts during the 13th Black Crusade. Organisation The Thunder Krakens are individualistic in the extreme, with no real command structure to speak off. A Chapter Master is elected from one of the senior veterans of the Chapter who agrees to hang up the mantle of adventure and be ready to direct the Chapter in the case of an approaching threat to the Chapters homeworld. The Chapter Master's authority is absolute, and with a mighty Astropathic choir, his authority can reach out to all his subjects no matter where they are in the galaxy, and with an army that could make a regiment of Guardsmen pale in comparison he can hold the line for his brothers to arrive. But apart from that, there is no command over the Battle Brothers other then that which they bestow upon one another. When more than one Astartes sets out, they decide who shall take up the role of acting commander, although this is not something that happens in all cases; Sometimes, a band of brothers simply join together and set off on an adventure. Equipment Though for a chapter like the Thunder Krakens, the term "Standard Equipment" really is a stretch, but there are some pieces of equipment that all Krakens use. This is generally just their Power Armour, a Combat Blade, Grenades and a locator beacon allowing him to be found wherever he is in the galaxy. After that, the chapter armoury is open to all brothers, with the only restriction being what one can carry and quantity. The only thing not allowed to the standard battle brothers are the relic weaponry that are kept in the reclusiam. Power Armour The colouration of the Thunder Krakens power armour is dull to say the least, and not fitting of such heroic figures. However, it is custom to personally decorate ones armour and make it individual. Veterans who have learned the arts can do advanced customization such as adding more plates to their armour and engraving whole books in golden letters on the armour, but most brothers simply paint it with personal heraldries and designs and hang it with fetisches that catch their eyes. Because of this, when the Krakens gather in force, they look like a slap-dash force of cobbled together warriors, but for any who have seen them in action they will know that they face a legion of heroes. Followers and Recruitment When the Krakens set out into the galaxy, it is not uncommon for them to bring a retinue of allies with them. Sometimes, these are other Krakens, sometimes it is an aspirant who have just recently recieved his implants, sometimes it is natives from his planet, or other planets, or perhaps even a trusted animal companion. For many people, going with a Kraken is their only chance of seeing the larger galaxy, though it is a dangerous thing for an Astartes only ever goes one place: To war. But despite the danger, it is vital to the development of the next generation of Krakens, but due to the high toll these trips have, it can be assumed that there are never a large amount of recruits to continue the tradition of the Krakens, thus leading to the enigma of how the Chapter can maintain a seemingly sizeable force throughout the millenia. Specialist Ranks The Thunder Krakens do maintain a force of Techmarines, however these artificers often venture out on adventures alongside their brothers, or simply alone, for their time on Mars have done nothing to still their thirst for adventure and war. When it comes to being recalled, the Techmarines, alongside the Highcallers, are the brothers who have the highest priority to return. The Thunder Krakens do not maintain Dreadnoughts, having only had a few through the ages, but they were often left in a cruel stasis chamber, incapable of going on adventure, and it was deemed that death was a far better alternative. There are rare times when Dreadnoughts are still put to use, often it is when Vangelia is under attack and a battle brother falls in dishonourable way, they are interred in a Dreadnought and sent out to battle until they fall. As such, the amount of Dreadnought chasis have been dwindling over the years. Highcaller In the Thunder Krakens, there is one very important rank: The Highcallers. Serving as both Chaplain and Apothecary, it is the Highcallers duty to ensure that fallen battle brothers are brought home and new recruits are fit for the trials they will endure. Sometimes they will accompany their brothers on their journeys, sometimes they will remain on Vangelia, but they are always on duty and always on alert, ready to set out to any point in the galaxy should the beacon proclaim the battle brother fallen. Knights of Saint Castius The world Purnia, in the Segmentum Ultima, is a very unfortunate Shrine World, located on the fringes of settled space, it has often come under attack by various factions of Orks, kabals of Dark Eldar, Eldar pirates and, recently, Tyranid splinter fleets. With nothing but a weak PDF force and a devoted but untrained Frateris Militia to call upon, the planet would have been lost several times over. However, through coincidence of an act of the Emperor, when times grow dark, the Thunder Krakens arrive. Drawn by the thrill of adventure and outlandish odds, they come and lead the countercharge on the xeno and heretic foes. Many times, there come a large pack of the Thunder Krakens, sometimes measuring up to nearly an entire company, all drawn for the glory to be won. These Thunder Krakens have been unofficially deemed saviour of the planet, and the first Thunder Kraken to arrive have been deemed a local saint; Saint Castius. Now, whenever danger threatens, any Thunder Kraken who takes up arms for the planet will be given a winged hand of red gold to be moulded into their armour, designating them as one of the Knights of Saint Castius. Due to the overwhelming odds they face, they often grow to become elite forces beyond compare. Those that survive, that is. Thunder Krakens Librarians When a Librarian of the Thunder Krakens wishes to set out on an adventure, none is going to stop him, for not only is he as glory hungry as his brothers, but he wields the powers of the Warp at his command. However, no Librarian is to go alone. Always accompanied by at least one other, often a Highcaller, the Librarian can rest assured that should he be possessed, his brother can strike him down before the Daemon can bring the power of an Astartes Psyker to bear on the Imperium. Deathwatch Service To serve in the Deathwatch is a duty all Space Marine Chapters should be held too, and to the Thunder Krakens service in the Deathwatch is an honour beyond imagining. Not only will he go to the fringes of known space to stave off enemy invasions, he will meet new brothers in the act and bring back new trophies and knowledge to his chapter, as well as hopefully strengthening the bond between two chapters. As such, it is never rare to find a Kraken in the Deathwatch, ready to bring death to the alien and celebrate with his new cousins. When they return, the Kraken repaints his left shoulder pad black in memory of his service to the Deathwatch. He may also wear the silver shoulder pad on his right shoulder, though this is, for some reason, a less common practice. One can be sure, however, that when a battle brother returns, he will have a story to tell and trophies never before seen. Imperia Legiones Auxilia The Imperia Legiones Auxilia is the standing force of the Thunder Krakens. Forming the same role as most chapters armed serfs, the Auxilia stretches the laws established by Roboute Guilliman that no Astartes may command a standing army. The only thing that ensures the Auxilia does not classify as an actual army is their extreme diversity and split command structure. No one "officially" commands the Auxilia, they just simply happen to constantly stand ready to defend The Halls and Vangelia. Due to their diverse nature, the Auxilia have no standard outfit, although most equipment is similar in the form of Carapace Armour and Lasguns, as their only means of getting armaments is from the Chapter Forges. The natives of the colder Kvon-Uus may wear pelts and greatcoats, whilst the southern Wrik will wear shorts and thin shirts under their armour. Homeworld The world of Vangelia is a truly massive planet, and just as it is large it is diverse. Being so large, the gravity is incredibly strong and would, normally, cause the people living on it to be stunted. However, the nearby star has an even stronger pull, causing the native humans to become tall and muscular. The musculature comes from the high amount of oxygen in the air, causing gigantism in a lot of animals and allowing the human body to become bulkier than most. This reflects in the Krakens themselves, who often stand taller than most other Space Marines, though not necessarily by much. Vangelia consists of two super continents. The planet has only five uninhabitable zones, the two poles and three volcanic spots on the planet. All other places have been settled by humanity, where technological levels vary between location. The general technological level is around the Terran early renaisance or late middle ages, but some have even come so far to have their own industrial revolution. On the north pole, the Halls, are manned by several thousands of specially educated humans, all native to the planet but taught advanced technology and the existance of the Imperium at large. From the civilizations the Krakens draw their recruits, and depending on where the recruit is found, his combat preference will differ: He might prefer the sword and shield of the Tornean knights in the west, or he will want to ride atop a bike whilst firing his bolter in tribute to the mounted tribes of the eastern Mooria, but what all the cultures seem to have in common, oddly, is a longing for adventure, something that reflects in the recruits it brings and the Astartes it breeds. Fauna One of the most notable animals to be found, especially in the forests of the Gorgla, are the Vrin hounds. Small bundles of muscle and taunt skin, these canines reach up to an Astartes knee and have been known to be domesticated, even by the Astartes. Those who are used by the Thunder Kraken have astonishing amounts of both bio and cybernetic augmentations, from added adrenal glands, testosterone boosters and mechanical legs. Nations and Factions Vangelia, being a massive planet, has quite an abundance of humans living on it, all having adapted to the various climates the world has to offer. Due to this, there are several nation states on the planet, all free from each other and united in their knowledge and worship of the sky-knights. * '''Vierluk: '''The Vierluk are currently the most technologically advanced nation state, having just recently entered an industrial revolution. Life is harsh for the lower classes of Vierluk, with many of the turning to adventure to escape the deadly factories they otherwise live and die working in. The higher class youths often devote their entire youth to adventure, and if there is a Thunder Kraken from Vierluk, he is most certainly a youngling of a rich and noble family. The boiling seas surrounding Vierluk has ensured they have lived in peace from the rest of the world. * '''Gorgla: '''On the opposite side of the spectrum are the Gorgla. Barbarians in every sense of the word, they have little to no concept of society, consisting of forest-dwelling tribes where all that is owned is gained through raiding and war. These barbarians are often seen like good candidates for an Astartes, for they are often some of the strongest warriors can be found on the planet, wielding crude weapons made of bone against their southern neighbors. * '''The City States of Movea: '''With a technological level similar to ancient Terras bronze age, the Moveans are philosophers and heroes, the very stereotype of an adventurer. There are hundreds of tales of a few amounts of well drilled and well armed Moveans fighting off hordes of Gorgla, their brutal neighbors. Krakens who hail from Movea are often very nationalistic and tend to stick together in groups rather than venture out alone. * '''Ropeii: '''Deceitful, dangerous and "democratic", the Ropeii have the most organized military system the planet of Vangelia has ever seen, in stark contrast to the corrupt government that rules them. Had it not been for the dark, Gorgla infested forrest surrounding them, or the City States to their west, the Ropeii could very well have conquered most of the continent. * '''Verdikan: '''The Verdikan is one of the two massive nations situated on the western super continent. Having not only learned of, but become very good at, producing and using firearms, the Verdikan inhabitants live in a semi-lawless state, where roving bands of robbers and raiders are dealt with by vigilantees with sanctionings from the state. * '''Ombrer: '''The northern nation of the western super continent, the Ombrer have become good with firearms, though not on the same level as the Verdikans. The two often find themselves in conflict with one another, but neither can gain any sufficient advantage due to internal struggles. Where the Verdikan cannot expand due to their already overstretched lands, the Ombrer cannot maintain a war due to lack of resources in the frozen north. * '''Wryk: '''One of the smallest nation states, the Wryk are iron-age tradesmen and mercenaries, living separated from most others on the eastern continent by a small sea. Sometimes, they come down from their northern lands to trade and pillage from the Gorgla. Though taller, they are not as bulky or powerful per person as the Gorgla, their main enemy, but have learned to use iron and bronze weaponry through the rare trade with the Moveans and Ropeiians Names and Languages When a Thunder Kraken enters the chapter, he does not change his name, but retains the one given to him at birth. Therefore, due to the wide diversity of the local populace, the names often seem to have little connection to one another, unlike most Chapters, where names often have something in common to the other. Infact, some names may even be completely foreign to any normal human, as they are names based on the native languages and dialects. The Halls The Halls are truly massive, taking up 70% of the planets already huge northern pole. Stretching a kilometre into the ground and towards the sky, it is a fortress more than anything, a fortress guarded by a not-to-small army of well trained and well drilled mortals with weaponry superior to common Guardsmen. They are only an army in the sense of the word, for they have only one duty: Garrison duty. They may never leave the fortress other than in small scouting forces or to repell an attack; something that has never yet occured. Chapter Fleet If the chapters organisation is odd, then the chapter fleet is odder still. It has no Battle Barge and only three Strike Cruisers. What it does have, however, are small transport ships with oversized engines, and hundreds of them, perhaps even thousand. They have but one purpose: Deliver the battle brother(s) to his destination. Due to this, they are armed only with a single, low-powered lance and a weak shield, but their purpose is never to engage in battle, only to bring the brother close enough for him to descend on a world in a Thunderhawk, Drop Pod or Stormraven. Notable Thunder Krakens *'Mulcebar the World Ender: '''Current Chapter Master and legend amongst the chapter, Mulcebar fought on Armageddon and faced off against Abaddon the Despoiler himself on Cadia, loosing his legs whilst inflicting only minor damage. Against a foe like Abaddon, Mulcebar did well, never gaining a chance to strike at the traitor but dodging the attacks of the Warmast for several minutes, before he was struck, just glancingly, by the tip of Drach'nyen. Though the wound only sliced skin, the daemonic power in it ensured that, for his own survival, he had to rid himself of his legs. Lacking a cutting weapon and having to get away fast, Mulcebar fired his plasma pistol right at his legs, separating them both through bone-vapourizing plasma. As all seemed lost, he was saved from certain doom by the intervention of two legendary figures; Tu'Shan of the Salamanders and Logan Grimnar of the Space Wolves. Furthermore, Abaddon recieved reports of the approaching forces of Ursakar E. Creed and Azrael of the Dark Angels. Never the fool, Abaddon understood that not even he could fight such odds and triumph, and promptly retreated from the battle. Had the forces not arrived when they did, it was certain Mulcebar would have been lost forever. * '''Arceren the Annhilator: '''A 300-year-old veteran of the Thunder Krakens, Battle Brother Arceren has seen action on both Armageddon and upon the gates of Cadia itself. His armor is highly ornate, intricate iconography of blades and metal tentacles run across the legs and arms of the Space Marine, and his helm is custom-made from the base-components of a Mk. VII helm. He carries into battle a large Heavy Bolter, the weapon made to fire bolt rounds 25% larger than standard Heavy Bolter rounds, at the cost of the weapon's normal blistering fire rate. His most recent quest has been the 3rd War for Armageddon, at one point taking cover behind Commisar Yarrick's own ''Fortress of Arrogance ''during a nasty battle with a squad of Ork Lootas. * '''Saint Castius: '''The first Thunder Kraken to take up the sword in defence of the Shrine World Purnia, Castius rallied the defenders and fought back an Ork Waagh! leading from the front to inspire his fellow warriors. After the battle was over, his personal heraldy, a winged fist, was taken up as a secondary flag of the planet, and Castius was named, first unofficially, a saint. After four more attacks, all that had been repelled by Castius and his brothers, and with the Astartes dead, was he deemed a true Saint by the Ecclesiarchy, for he had arrived in just the time he was needed, no matter the distance he had traveled, as if commanded in advance by the Emperor himself. * '''Bellum the Undefeated: Bellum is a eccentric Thunder Kraken with just under 300 years experience he has fought on Armageddon, the world's of the Ultramarines when they were under attack by the Iron Warriors he has wrist mounted storm bolters on both wrists he also has a plasma pistol and a very rare power sword. He has MK III power armour in grey with gold shoulders, he has a tome attached to his right shoulderwhich page he changes every day, he does not wear a helmet but does have a bionic eye which he uses to great effect, marking enemies with red tags, has a HUD built in and it can fire a laser. He earned his name by crash landing into a ork waagh a small one but every ork came into the dead end canyon one by one until only the warboss remained which was put down by Bellum. * 'Sogaros the Sword Saint: '''The greatest swordsman in the chapter and a Knight of St Castius, Sogaros is said to be capable of taking on a lesser Waagh! by himself, a rumor the vain astartes himself does not refute, but most other veterans do. For better or worse, Sogaros has never had the chance to go single handedly against a Waaagh! and have often found himself traveling with two other Krakens, both of the Knights of St Castius, and their adventures are many, and the combination of natures strange, and are often made into an inside joke by their brothers. "A Movean, a Verdikan and a Wryk walk unto a battle field..." * '''Billi Bragger: '''A Verdikan sharpshooter, Billi Bragger is without a doubt the chapters best marksman, as well as a Knight of St Castius, wielding a combi-melta with incredible skill, capable of hitting near anything within range of his bolter. Apart from his combi-melta, Billi has two master crafted bolt pistols with oversized bayonettes attached, serving as his only means of melee defence. However, an Astartes is never unarmed, for his body is a weapon, something Billi has a tendancy to ignore and rely on his guns instead. * '''Vagalif Ironhammer: '''The third member of the trio of Knights, Vagalif is a Wryk warrior and currently the oldest warrior in the chapter, nearing a millenia of age from birth until now. His exact age is 988 years old, having been in the chapter for 975. A veteran of hundreds of battles, Vagalif has more bionic replacements than he has regular bodyparts, or so he says himself. Amongst these, he has no legs or pelvis, having lost those to a close-by Demolisher round. His jaw is adamantium and covered in synthskin and his secondary heart is replaced with a vacuum pump. Even more so, after several years, the veteran has added even more bionics to his body, including a secondary adrenal injector located next to his primary heart ready to pump him full of even more adrenals than his armour. In battle, the ancient veteran fights with two power fists, litterally ripping his foes apart. * '''Oroleif the Houndsman: '''From the warlike tribes of the Gorgla comes the Houndsmaster. Generally silent in the company of others, he talks in short, quick sentances that get his point across. But when he talks to his Vrin hounds, he growls. No words pass between master and companion, if any sound has to be uttered it is the sound of glaciers moving. Oroleif is a very powerful, if unrefined, warrior, preffering to fight up close with his wicked Rhompeidra blade, a slightly curved power weapon with the blade sharpening on the inside of the edge. This weapon has a handle as long as the blade, and can be folded into itself to act as it's own sheathe. But, despite his profficiency with the blade, it is his heavily augmented Vrin hounds that make Oroleif dangerous, for he relishes letting the hounds track down the opponent, bogging them down until he can reach the foe and finish them. Oroleif is more likely than most to venture out alone, and he has become a master of fighting guerilla warfares. Quotes By ''"I'm a sprinter nowadays, very dangerous over a short distance." ~Vagalif Ironhammer About Category:Legionaire22 Category:Space Marines Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Imperium Category:White Scars Successors Category:6th Founding